Additionally, the city is recommending that and city-owned community centres and seniors centres should close.

“Federal and provincial health authorities have urged increased social distancing measures and today the Prime Minister told Canadians to ‘stay at home.’ That’s why today the City is taking the measures within our jurisdiction to limit contact between people and to keep our community safe and healthy,” said Mayor Lisa Helps in a statement. “We know these are challenging times for everyone and we all need to pull together to support each other in new and creative ways, while keeping the important social distances that the health professionals recommend.”

In addition to these closures, Victoria’s City Hall will now only be open by appointment. For more information on this, people can call 250-385-5711.

Council and committee of the whole meetings will proceed, and will be live webcast at victoria.ca. All advisory committee, Board and Task Force meetings and any other meetings or public engagement events have been cancelled until further notice.

The City has also opted to postpone the upcoming by-election, originally scheduled for April 4.

The Victoria Police Department is also asking members of the public to avoid the VicPD front counters at its headquarters at 850 Caledonia Ave. and 500 Park Pl. for the Esquimalt Division whenever possible.

“We are currently evaluating the status of many of the services we provide through our Front Counters including police information checks, taxi permits, property retrieval and other services,” said Bowen Osoko, community engagement spokesperson for VicPD in a statement. “We’re exploring alternative methods of delivering these services and will provide updates as we are able. Do note that our Front Counters may temporarily close in the coming days.”